Guard rail and outer-panel construction



' P 192.3 J. H. CLARK 1,710,205

GUARD R AIL AND OUTER PANEL CONSTRUCTION Filed July 19, 1926 2 snms sne t 1 4 Y INVENTOR. Jill/es fifyan.

I z I ATTORNEYS.

April 23,1929. 7 J. H. CLARK GUARD RAIL AND OUTER PANEL CONSTRUCTION Filed July 19.. 1926 2 Shana-Shoot ILLIIIY INVENTOR. 29E 6&7

BY r

A TTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 23, 1929.

uurrso stares Jar iris n". CLARK, or nnrnorr, mrerrrean, assien'on T0 IrIAHUFACTURING COMPANY, 035 DETROIT, MTCHIGAN, A COEE'OEATION OF MICEIIGAN.

GUARD RAIL AND GUCEER-PANEL COTDISTRUCTION.

Application filed July 19, 1953 Figure 3 is an enlarged View of the joint connecting the panels and belt guard rail;

Figure 1 is a section taken on line 1-l-lil of Figure 2. T

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 55 otFigure 1.

In, the drawings the numerals .1 and 2 desig= nate upper and lower outside sheet metal panels pressed. to the desired shape, while the numeral 3 denotes a supporting pillar therefor which extends vertically from top to bottom oi the side frame structure of a motor bus and is of channel-shaped liormation having its open portion facing outwardly. Any suitable means may be employed for attaching the panels 1' andQ to the pillar 3, and in the present instance, 1 provide a substantially channel-shaped pillar reintorcing member 4, embracing the pillar, the base portion thereof enclosing theopeu portion oi the pillar and abutting against the inner sides of the upper and lower panels 1 and 2 and. being securely fastened thereto in any suitable manner.

Extending the length of the bus a substantially channel-shaped. belt guard rail which cooperates with the upper edge 01 the panel 2 and the lower edge oi the panel 1 to form a neat, easily assemblrul and compact joint. These panels are provided with inturncul channel portions 6 and 7 respectively the base portions o't which receive lateral inturned portions 8 and 9 of the belt guard rail. 5. s shown. in Figure 3, the outer side walls 10 and 11 ol? the intrutned channel portions abut against each other and the pertions 8 and 9 are preferably turned outwardly and extend along said side walls tor a portion of their length.

Slidably mounted within the belt guard rail 5 is a short channel bar 12 having outturned end portions 13- and 14: abutting against the lateral intiiu'ned portions 8 and 9 respectively of the belt guard rail 5. As

' Serial No. 123,455.

shown, the side walls 10 and 11 are provided with corresponding outwardly rounded por tlons forming an opening to receive a bolt 15, while the channel bar 12 is provided with a cooperating squared opening through which the bolt is inserted and which prevents it from turning.

i t the point where the panels 1 and. 2, meet, the pillar and reinforcing member 4; are both cut away for a portion of their length to allow for the reception of the inturned channel portions 6 and 7. In order to secure the belt guard rail to the panels, a clamp 16 is provided which rests against the base portions of the inturned channel portions and which is provided with laterally extending portions 17 :lior holding the outer side walls 10 and 11 in contacting relation with each other.

From the above description it will be apparent that when the nut 18 is screwed upon the bolt 15, the channel bar 12 and clamp 16 will be drawn toward each other, thereby clamping the panels 1 and 2 and belt guard rail 5 securely together. Any desired number of channel bars 12 and clamping men'lbers 16 may be placed at predetermined points along the sides ot the bus structure for securely joining the panels 1 and 2 to the belt guard rail 5 and to each other.

The upper extreme portion of the panel 1 is formed into an outside belt rail 19, which is provided with a horizontal inwardly exteiuling portion Qilconstitulihg an outside window frame portion having at its inner end a dmvnturned flange 21 extending along the edge thereof. i

The upper edge oi the pillar reinforcing member 4-. terminates short of and below the window ii anie portion 20, while a channelsha pillar cover has its lower edge associated with the flange 21. 'Uhiscover embraces the walls of the pillar, closing the open portion thereof, andv z s shown, the side walls of the pillar terminate short of the base of the cover, while the side walls of the cover terminate short oil? the base of the pillar. The lunged portion 91. ol the outside window it true portion abuts against the pillar cover 22 embracing the base and. a portion of the side wr lls thereol, the lower end of the cover, tern'iinating with the edge of the flange 21 and being butt welded thereto. lVith such an arrangement any up and down variation in the length of the cover can be readily taken care oil and if the cover should bea adjacent panels provided with channel tions achannel shaoed belt 'uard rail Wltled with inturued end portions sea ting in trifle too .long the surplus length can extend taltlange 2-l,:to which a window ledge is attached. An inside panel 26 is secured to the lower edgeot the inside belt rail and is supported upon thepillarfl in any suitable manner.

' lVhile it iis lbelieved that from the foregoing description the natureand advantage rot ray invention will be readily apparent I desire to have it understood that i do not limit inyselt'to what 11s herein shown and described and that such changes may be re sorted to when desired as fall within the scope of what is claimed;

lVhat I-clann as my invention is:

1. In a vehicle body, the combination with adjacent panels provided with interned channel portions, the outer side wallet the channel portion of one panel lying ac gacent to the outer sidewall of thechannel portion of theotherpanel; a belt guard lflllPlOVlt'lQ-Cl with inturnedend portions seating in said channel portions, and rneans for securin said panels to said belt guard rail and to each other. v

2. In a vehicle body, the combination with porpro said channel portions itCllilllDQl bar'having its end portions resting against the intnrned portions of said belt'guard rail, and aclarnp abutting against the outside oi thebase portions of said channel portions for securing said panels "to said belt guard rail and to portions, a channel bar having 'its'end po each-other.

' 3. In a vehicle body, the combination with adjacent panels provided with channel pertlons, a belt guard rail provided with inturned end portions seating insaid channel rtions restingagainst the inturned end portions of saidbelt guard ralh-a clanipabutting against the outside of the base portions of said channel portions, said channel bar, panels and clamp having openings therein for accommodating a bolt for securing the panels to said belt guardrail and to each other.

guard rail provided with inturned end portions seating in said channelportions, archannel barenclosing the'outer-side walls otsaid channelportions and having its end portions resting against the inturned endportions of said belt ard rail, a clainpabntting against the outside of the baseportionsiofsaid channel portions said channel bar and clamp be ing provided with openings and the outside walls of saidcnannelportions havinground red cooperating portions in alignment with said openings for receiving a bolt l orsecuring said upper and lower panels to said belt guard rail and to each-other.

5. The combination with'a lower-panel, of an upper panel abuttingagainst'said lower paneha belt guard rail having inturned end portions in contactingrelation with said upier and lower panels, a channel bar having its end portions resting against the inturned end portions of ,said belt guard rail, and means including a clamp for securing said upper and lower panels to said belt gnarl rail and to eac'hcther.

6. In a vehicle bod glthe combination with a lower panel, an upper panel abntting against said lower panel, a belt guard rail having interned end portions in contacting relation with said upper and lower panels, a channel bar located within said belt guard rail and having end portions resting against the inturncd end p rtions thereof. and means including a clanipabutting against the inside faces ofsaid upper and lower panels for securing the said panels to said belt guard rail and to each other. 7 lnitestiinony whereof liatlixmy-signature.

JAMES H. CLARK. 

